Obituary: Koivula, Anna Catherine
Age 55
KOIVULA, Anna Catherine
The family of Anna
Catherine Koivula is devastated to announce her death, on September 13, 2012, from complications due to leukemia.
Anna was born in Spokane on November 28, 1956.
She attended St. Pascal’s Grade School and West Valley High School, where she received numerous awards for science projects and her artwork, primarily sculptures.
She excelled in debate and foreign languages.
She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in political science and a minor in mathematics.
She earned an Associate of Arts degree from Spokane Community College in water quality management.
During college, she worked as an artists’ model.
After graduation, she worked for the Department of Ecology, and then for the Department of Social and Health Services.
Anna was full of compassion for anyone who was suffering and expressed genuine jubilant joy for anyone who was happy.
Her family had a saying that her loving heart stretched from the middle of the Pacific Ocean to the eastern seaboard.
She was a life-long Democrat, who took politics and voting seriously.
She was brilliant, well-informed, well-read, kind, stunningly beautiful, and always willing to help.
She was a wonderful wife, a loving, selfless mother, a caring sister, a sweet grandmother and a dedicated and loyal friend to all who knew her.
Anna enjoyed reading, discussing current events, science, politics, protecting the environment, tennis, concerts, camping,white-water rafting, blissful Sunday mornings spent cuddled up in her chair with the paper and a good cup of coffee.
She was a formidable chess player, and a true fan of The Mariners and the Red Sox.
She adored watching her little bird friends and would spend hours with her soft, silver grey kittens Bonnie and Clyde.
Anna was preceded in death by her parents Elmer and Helen Koivula, her beloved hounds Mathew, Bucci and her old orange and cream tabby El Gato.
She is survived by her best friend of 19 years, husband Frank Chase, step-daughters, Whisper Chase-Nielsen (Brady), Bree Becker (Jacob), Ticara Tibbetts (Jon), her sister Margaret Koivula, and brothers John and Michael Koivula, and her Australian Shepherd, Peggy.
She was adored by her seven grandchildren, Rachel, Jason, Frank, Joseph, Bella, Dillen and Jemma.
She will be missed tremendously.
“Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so,
For those whom thou think’st thou doest overthrow,
Die not, poor death, nor canst thou kill me.
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more: death, thou shalt die.
“
John Donne
Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 20, 2012, at 4 PM at Hennessey Funeral Home, N. 2203 Division, Spokane.